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by Orysia Khimiak – Apr 23, 2024 12:36:45 PM • 8 min

Voice Cloning in the Spotlight: Respeecher's CEO Discusses AI's Promises and Perils on BBC Radio

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Voice cloning technology, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence, is revolutionizing communication but also posing significant risks. Featured on a recent BBC Today segment, this news story is about voice cloning, spotlighting Respeecher, a Ukrainian AI company pioneering this technology. Despite facing challenges during the Russian invasion, Respeecher has made remarkable strides, contributing to projects like Disney's "Obi-Wan Kenobi" series and winning an Emmy Award for its work on the short film "In Event of Moon Disaster."

Respeecher's pioneering work showcases the incredible potential of AI in replicating voices with astonishing accuracy, as seen in their collaborations with Disney and MIT. 

Respeecher CEO, Alex Serdiuk, highlights the company's advancements, including the ability to clone voices more easily. In the past, Respeecher required several hours of Nixon's voice from the Nixon Library to create a voice model. Now, the company can achieve the same results with just a few minutes of audio data.

When asked about the proximity of their technology to real-time conversations, Serdiuk explains:

"I would say we have a piece of technology that enables real-time alterations, with only a minimal delay of several hundred milliseconds. This ensures smooth transitions for phone conversations, allowing us to modify voices seamlessly on the fly."

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Oleksandr Serdiuk, CEO

 

This breakthrough has promising applications, particularly in healthcare, offering hope to individuals who have lost their voices due to conditions like throat cancer.

However, the report also exposes the dark side of voice cloning, as illustrated by an incident recounted by Jennifer DeStefano before the US Senate Judiciary Committee. DeStefano received a distressing call purportedly from her daughter, only to realize it was a scam using cloned voices to extort money. This chilling example underscores the urgent need for regulation to combat such fraudulent activities.

As Serdiuk points out, responsible use and regulation are needed to prevent misuse, especially in instances like impersonating loved ones for extortion. Professor Brent Mittelstadt from the Oxford Internet Institute also emphasizes the necessity of regulatory measures, citing initiatives in the US and the European Union to address the risks posed by AI-generated voice profiles. Despite strides in regulation, hesitancy in the UK underscores the ongoing debate surrounding AI ethics and policy.

Action Fraud, the UK's national fraud, and cybercrime reporting centre, confirms the growing prevalence of voice cloning in criminal activities, ranging from bank fraud to impersonating celebrities for financial gain.

As voices can be manipulated with unprecedented accuracy, the need for regulation becomes increasingly pressing to safeguard against exploitation. With voices becoming as easy to hack as text, policymakers face the challenge of balancing innovation with accountability in an evolving technological landscape.

 

FAQ

Voice cloning technology uses AI-generated voices to replicate a person’s voice with high accuracy. Respeecher’s system captures voice features from short audio samples, allowing them to create AI voice models for various applications like entertainment and healthcare.

Voice cloning technology raises ethical concerns, particularly around voice impersonation scams, such as fraud and extortion. Misuse can lead to criminal activities, highlighting the need for responsible AI use and AI voice regulation to ensure ethical applications and prevent harm.

Respeecher, led by Alex Serdiuk, is pioneering the responsible use of AI-generated voices by promoting ethical AI voice cloning for projects like healthcare and entertainment. They emphasize responsible AI use and support AI voice regulation to prevent exploitation.

In healthcare, voice cloning offers innovative solutions for individuals who lose their ability to speak due to conditions like throat cancer. By recreating their voices, Respeecher helps restore personalized voice experiences, improving quality of life.

AI voice regulation is essential to prevent the misuse of voice cloning technology. Policymakers must balance innovation with accountability, addressing issues like voice impersonation scams while fostering responsible AI use, as suggested by Brent Mittelstadt and global initiatives.

Glossary

Voice cloning technology

Voice cloning technology uses AI-generated voices to replicate real human voices with precision. Respeecher, led by Alex Serdiuk, ensures responsible AI use and ethical AI technology, applying it to healthcare and AI in communication while addressing AI voice regulation to prevent voice impersonation scams.

AI-generated voice

AI-generated voice uses Voice cloning technology to replicate human speech. Respeecher, led by Alex Serdiuk, focuses on ethical AI technology, applying it to healthcare and AI in communication, while addressing AI voice regulation and voice impersonation scams.

Ethical AI technology

Ethical AI technology ensures responsible AI use by addressing concerns like voice impersonation scams and AI voice regulation. Respeecher, led by Alex Serdiuk, pioneers AI-generated voice for healthcare and AI in communication.

Ethical responsible AI use

Ethical responsible AI use emphasizes AI voice regulation and preventing voice impersonation scams. Respeecher, led by Alex Serdiuk, ensures AI-generated voice is used responsibly in healthcare applications of AI and AI in communication.

Orysia Khimiak
Orysia Khimiak
PR and Comms Manager
For the past 9 years, have been engaged in Global PR of early stage and AI startups, in particular Reface, Allset, and now Respeecher. Clients were featured in WSJ, Forbes, Mashable, the Verge, Tech Crunch, and Financial Times. For over a year, I Orysia been conducting PR Basics course on Projector. During the war, became more actively involved as a fixer and worked with the BBC, Guardian and The Times.
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